bile acid

noun

plural bile acids
: any of several steroid acids (such as cholic acid) that occur in bile especially in the form of bile salts, are produced chiefly in the liver from cholesterol, and aid in the intestinal breakdown and absorption of fat
Approximately 500 mg of cholesterol is converted into bile acids each day in the adult human liver.David W. Russell

Examples of bile acid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Lastly, all fibers altered the small-intestinal microbiota and portal bile acid composition. New Atlas, 22 July 2024 Decrease bile acids in the gastrointestinal tract Help to prevent obesity, which is associated with cancer risk Screening Is Key to Prevent Prostate Cancer Prostate cancer typically affects older men, and Black men have a much higher risk than White men. Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 29 Feb. 2024 The reason, the team determined, was that their guts contained higher levels of bile acids, which would normally be broken down by gut microbes. Kenneth Miller, Discover Magazine, 11 Dec. 2023 Bile Acid-Reducing Conditions Another way in which fats are broken down is with bile acid. Maxine Lipner, Health, 25 Sep. 2023 See all Example Sentences for bile acid 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bile acid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1881, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bile acid was circa 1881

Dictionary Entries Near bile acid

Cite this Entry

“Bile acid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bile%20acid. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.

Medical Definition

bile acid

noun
: any of several steroid acids (such as cholic acid) that occur in bile especially in the form of bile salts, are produced chiefly in the liver from cholesterol, and aid in the intestinal breakdown and absorption of fat
In the intestine, bile acids are essential for the absorption, transport, and metabolism of dietary fats and lipid-soluble vitamins.Li Tiangang and John Y. L. Chiang, Pharmacological Reviews

More from Merriam-Webster on bile acid

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